Former West Bromwich Albion forward Kevin Phillips has admitted that he believes that Daryl Dike is a good player at Championship level and is hoping that the forward will be able to hit the ground running at The Hawthorns.

After being heavily linked with a move to the Baggies in recent months, the United States international was signed by the Championship side last Saturday from Orlando City  for a fee believed to be in the region of £7m.

Dike put pen to paper on a four-and-a-half year contract which will ensure that he will stay at West Brom until 2026.

Certainly no stranger to life in the Championship, Dike spent the second-half of the previous campaign on loan at Barnsley.

During his time with the Tykes, the forward excelled under the guidance of Valerien Ismael as he scored nine goals at this level.

Having reunited with Ismael at West Brom, the 21-year-old will be determined to deliver the goods on a consistent basis for his new club in the coming months.

Speaking to West Brom News about the club's decision to sign Dike, Phillips said: "On his day, he's a good player.

"He certainly knows where the back of the net is and I've said all along that isn't going to break the bank but he's a good player.

 

 

"He obviously knows the manager already, we've seen how good Mowatt is so that could be a really good signing.

"They needed another striker, it was as simple as that, who can find the net regularly and hopefully he can be that person."

The Verdict

Whilst Dike is not expected to be involved in Saturday's FA Cup clash with Brighton & Hove Albion, he could be in line to make his debut for the Baggies when they face Queens Park Rangers in the second-tier on January 15th.

For the Baggies' sake, they will be hoping that their decision to spend a considerable amount of money on the forward will turn out to be a masterstroke as they look to secure an immediate return to the Premier League later this year.

As well as scoring nine goals for Barnsley last season, Dike used his physical presence to win 5.9 aerial duels per game as he recorded an average WhoScored match rating of 6.90 in the second-tier.

Providing that the forward is able to step up to the mark for West Brom, he could become an instant hit with the club's supporters who desperately want to see their side succeed at this level.